LOW-COST OPERATORS
LOW-COST OPERATORS
PRIVATE SECTOR
PRIVATE SECTOR
■ Growth across all key metrics: The UK low-cost market continues to grow. Total low-cost club numbers are up from 743 in 2024 to 806 in 2025 – a rise of 8.5%. ■ Strong increase in value and membership: Low-cost segment value and member numbers continue to enjoy positive growth. Value has reached £986m, up 11.1% from £888m in 2024, while membership is now 3.2 million, up 5.5% from 3.03 million in 2024. The average club now has around 4,000 members, slightly below last year’s figure of 4,100. ■ Penetration hits record high: Penetration has reached a new peak for the low-cost sector, with 4.7% of the UK population now members of a low-cost private club – up from 4.5% in 2024. With momentum building, the 5% threshold could be within reach over the next 12 months. ■ Market leaders consolidate their positions: PureGym remains the clear frontrunner, growing by 43 clubs (46 openings, three closures) to reach 422 locations. The Gym Group follows with 244 clubs, adding 10 (11 openings, one closure), while JD Gyms added four new clubs, bringing its total to 93. (See interview page 62, noting that the eight-site growth referenced in the interview also includes rebrands of sites acquired in previous years.) ■ Three chains dominate: These three leading brands – PureGym, The Gym Group and JD Gyms – collectively operate 94% of all low-cost clubs in the UK, consistent with last year. ■ Rise in average prices: With operating costs continuing to rise, the average monthly fee for a low-cost gym has exceeded £25 for the first time. More than 95% of low-cost clubs now charge over £20 a month – a sharp increase from 89% in 2024 and 69% in 2023 – and nearly half (47.5%) now charge more than £25. London commands a 25% premium, with the average fee here being £30.61, compared to £24.52 for clubs outside the capital. ■ A new definition: All of this has led Leisure DB to update its definition of what constitutes a low- cost gym. We now define a brand as low-cost if the majority of its clubs have an average monthly membership fee below £27.50 – up from our previous threshold of £25. This change enables us to accurately represent the evolving cost landscape, still distinguishing clubs that operate with a low-price business model. It ensures our analysis remains relevant and fair and that we can continue to accurately track trends, performance and competition within this segment of the market.
2024 clubs
2025 clubs
Top three low-cost operators: 2015–25
Rank Operator
806
379 422
1 PureGym
Low-cost clubs
500
2025
2024
234 244
2 The Gym Group
2023
3.2 m
Members
*
2022
89
93
3 JD Gyms*
2019
£986 m
2018
Market value
9
9
4 24/7 Fitness
2017
2016
8
8
5 Simply Gym
£25.78
400
Average fee
2015
7
8
6 Buzz Gym
0%
Wet
6
7
7 NRG Gyms
6
6
8 Pump Gyms
100%
Dry
3
4
9 Lifestyle Fitness
300
108
Average stations
3
3
10 New Age Fitness
* Includes one Simply Gym club acquired but still trading under the Simply Gym brand.
NO DATA 2020 & 2021 DUE TO COVID-19
200
Number of low-cost clubs: 2011–25
1000
806
741
800
724 743
683
598
600
100
515
450
400
319
257
196
200
101
58
0
2011
2012
2013
2014 2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2022
2023
2024 2025
0
PureGym The Gym Group
JD Gyms
*2022 figures include openings in 2020 and 2021.
94
95
STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2025
STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2025
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